Greek Mythology: Hades

God of the Underworld
Born the eldest son of Cronus and Rhea
Roman Name: Pluto
Symbols: Cerberus, Helm of Darkness, Cypress, Narcissus, and the key of Hades



The Dividing of the Three Realms:
After the defeat of the Titans time came to divide the three realms of the world (Sky, Sea, and the Underworld) between Zeus, Poseidon and Hades. Hades being the oldest was obviously suppose to be entitled to the best of the best being the king of the gods and god of the sky... well it didn't work out so smoothly because Zeus argued that without him they all would still be in the stomach of Cronus, their father. So they came up with drawing lots (which is kinda like drawing straws) for the three realms and as luck would have it Zeus was given the Sky, Poseidon the Sea, and Hades was given the Underworld..

Personal note: Now poor Hades had no luck at all and he is given such a bad stigma... dark, moody etc. but seeing it from his perspective. He was the eldest by all accounts entitled to be the king of the Gods and God of the sky... wouldn't you be upset. Besides that being God of the Underworld he isn't very welcome on mount Olympus... that has to suck...

Persephone (Summed up a little bit)

Given what I was saying in the story of dividing the three realms Hades went to Zeus basically saying that the least he could do for him is give Hades a wife. So (without consulting with Demeter) decided that he would give Hades his daughter Persephone. Persephone was a young goddess of spring and daughter of Demeter.
So Persephone was picking flowers in a field alone (which in Greek Mythology is never a good beginning for the young girl). When the ground opened up and from this abyss came Hades on his 4 horse chariot. Hades grabbed Persephone and dove back into the darkness and the earth closed back behind them.
When Demeter went to look for her daughter and could not find a trace she panicked. Not resting or stopping she looked everywhere for her daughter but no one had seen what had happened to her. In her search she let her Goddess duties of the lands agriculture fall to the way side and the land because dry and barren no crops would grow and livestock died. Demeter came cross the path of Hecate who told her that her daughter was taken but she did not know by whom. So both went to the God Helios, god of the Sun, and who saw everything. He told them what had happened and tried to assure Demeter that Hades was a good husband for her daughter. However, Demeter didn't agree and threatened to keep the earth barren forever and therefore kill all of humankind. Demeter went to Zeus to get her daughter back and Zeus agreed. Zeus sent Hermes to retrieve her.

During this time however, Hades had one of his servants convince Persephone to eat a fruit from the Underworld before she left. Now different sources will give you different numbers (3, 4, or 6),  but it is mutually agreed that Persephone did eat the seeds of a pomegranate. Why is that so special you might ask? Well once one eats the food that comes from the Underworld you are bound to the Underworld forever.
So when Hermes came to retrieve Persephone and bring her back to her mother... the "damage was done" as it were. The Titan Goddess Rhea and mother to Zeus, Demeter and Hades came up with a compromise that since Persephone eat the seeds from the pomegranate that she would spend part of the year with Hades and the other with her mother.
Each year as Persephone goes down to the Underworld the earth again becomes colder and infertile and when Persephone is returned life comes back and becomes warm and green. This is what we refer to as the seasons.

One of my favorite statues... carved by Gian Bernini in 1621-1622 called the rape of proserpina

Side picture of the Bernini statue looks so incredibly real

Personally and I know many would argue that I am wrong (that is the beauty of opinion... but please don't be writing hateful comments)... I believe that Persephone really grew to love Hades, I felt like it was kinda God and Goddess 101 to know that to eat the food of the Underworld you would be bound to the Underworld from then on... and another thing the few times that Hades did look at other girls why would Persephone care if she didn't have feelings for him.